


Meeting of Wyrm and Beast

by Murderbirb



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Herrah is a not nice person, No Proofreading we die like The Pale King, Pale king isn’t horrible, Rape, Reluctant Consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murderbirb/pseuds/Murderbirb
Summary: It is known that Hornet was only born because of the tragedy of Hollownest, but we don’t truly how the dalliance between Wyrm and Beast came to be. Except some still know, and the dalliance wasn’t pretty.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 21





	Meeting of Wyrm and Beast

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on how the Pale king and Herrah made their deal. Also, why does no one else seem to care that the king was basically raped by Herrah? Am I insane, or is the hollow knight community that wrapped up in headcanons that they don’t care about some important lore?  
> Also please excuse if some parts sound bad. This is my first fic.

The king wasn’t very excited to go try to make a deal with Herrah, especially a deal as important as this. He knew how brutal Herrah would end up being if she was angered. He saw it first hand with how she responded to the tramway he tried setting up. If she slaughtered all the construction workers for being in her territory, then how would she react to his offer?

These questions were something that he would have to find out later, as he was nearing the distant village. It was a long, tedious, and bitter journey just to get through deepnest, but now he has reached the hard part of his trip. Convincing Herrah to become a dreamer.

As he entered the village, he saw how lively the village was, but it wasn’t the prettiest location. There were huts made of silk, some shining with lumafly light. Despite how calming having some light in deepnest was, it also illuminated some more grotesque decorations. Blood was splattered on walls and floor alike. He could see pieces of the beasts of deepnest strewn about on the grounds. He looked up and saw something that nearly made him vomit. There were multiple creatures hanging on the ceiling by silk, mostly dirtcarvers, but there were still others. Among the creatures, there were Weavers and Weaverlings eating the flesh off the hung-up beasts. The king swore that the one of the dirtcarvers was still moving, but he looked away before he could be sure. He wanted to leave here as soon as he could.

As he walked in, the weavers around the villages started to look at him and he could sense the glares from them. It made sense they wouldn’t welcome him much, as he was extremely alien to them, an odd creature who they already knew for how he had pushed into their territory without even asking the Queen. He also gave of a glow that couldn’t be found in any other part of deepnest. For his retainers of the white palace, it made sense they could tolerate his glow, as they were subject to such bright light on a daily basis, but the weavers of deepnest were only used to dim light, so a creature as bright as him would obviously blind them. As he noticed this, he dimmed down his natural glow as to be respectful to the weavers’ sensitive eyes, but even after dimming his light to that of a lantern, the weavers still sent harsh glares his way.

After dimming his light, a weaver walked his way. “You must be here for your meeting with the Queen.” Their voice was raspy, as if they were ill, but the king knew that voices such as their’s were normal in Deepnest. “Follow me” they said, and he did. The weaver led him to a large hut, one so large that the top of the hut touched the roof of the distant village, he thought. He would check, but after what he saw on the ceiling before, he doesn’t dare to even glance up.

He entered, and he saw Herrah waiting for him there, her 6 eyes focused on him. “Ah, you arrived Wyrm.” Something about the way she referred to him as didn’t sit with him well. It’s the first time someone used the name of his species as what seems to be an insult. He ignored it for now. “It is our pleasure to meet you formally, Queen of Deepnest,” the King calmly spoke. “Oh, cut the formalities, Wyrm!” Herrah exclaimed. She waved her hand in a dismissing motion and the weavers around the meeting room swiftly exited, leaving only the King and Herrah. “I am another ruler here in your Hollownest. Don’t talk to me as you were speaking to one of you foolish servants.” For most bugs, if they commanded him to speak to them less formally, he would’ve snapped at them for their rudeness. But Herrah was not most bugs. He was in desperate need of her and the weavers’ help. It would be smarter for him to comply with a request like that if he wanted to get on her good side.

“Fine, Herrah.” He said, slight irratation obvious in his words, “Anyway I’ve come to make you an offer.” “Spit it out, Wyrm,” Herrah barked, a sharp glare coming off her face, focusing right on the King’s. The king sighed, he knew it would be hard to convince Herrah to help in his plan, but he was now much more stressed now that he was at the receiving end of her commands and orders. “As you may know, there is a disease that is ravaging much of Hollownest, and I’ve been trying to stop it.” He says, keeping eye contact with Herrah. “I suspect you have been having problems with the infection as well?” He questioned. “We’ve had a few small cases, but not much to worry about,” Herrah said, calmly. “Well, I suspect that if the disease isn’t dealt with soon, it will become a much bigger problem for your people.” The King exclaimed. “Isn’t it your goal to take down the infection. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t remember agreeing to deal with the infection,” Herrah said, a tint of annoyance present in her voice. “Herrah,” the King groaned. His patience was starting to stretch thin. “You also may not know, but the infection is caused not by normal means, as it isn’t a normal disease. It actually spread through dreams by the old light. She started the infection as a way to get revenge on me after her people left her behind to follow me. Due to this, it is impossible to contain the disease through our normal medical practices. I have tried to speak to the old light so that I could cut the disease off from the source, but she never is willing to negotiate terms. I’ve even tried to get help from the Nightmare King to kill the old light, but he has terms that I cannot accept as allowing the terms would only harm the kingdom. Recently, with help from Monomon, I believe I found a way to end the infection for good. If I am able to make a creature with no mind, a vessel for the infection, then the old light won’t be able to control it. Then, with the proper seals, she won’t be able to escape it. After that, we just seal the mindless vessel away and the infection will dissipate over time and Hollownest will be free of her light!” He exclaimed. It was obvious that he was proud of his plan, but Herrah had an unimpressed look on her face.

“And what do I have to do with this plan?” Herrah said, flatly. “Me and my Root are working on the making a vessel to contain the old light. What we need from you and the weavers is your knowledge on making seals. What I am asking is that you and the weavers help with the creation of the seal to lock the old light in vessel’s mind, or lack thereof, and one to lock away the vessel once they captured the old light.” The King said, his face displaying a look of stress. “In return, I shall give you what ever you request.” Herrah looked at the king, glaring hard. “Couldn’t we have had this discussion through a few letters? Why did we need to have a meeting for you to ask for me to share some research with you?”

“Well, the reason that I asked for us to have a meeting about this was because of the second thing I must ask of you,” the King quickly sputtered out, stress obvious in his voice. “You see, to make sure the seals to lock away the vessel are secure, I’ve gone and asked for help from other important figures around the kingdom. The deal is that they would go into a sleep that would close a seal around the temple where the old light shall be contained. Once in their sleep, they won’t be able to wake up and they can’t be physically harmed. I also have to choose those who are mentally strong enough to resist the old light’s power, as they will be stuck in the dream realm, where the old light’s power is strongest. What I’m trying to ask is, are you willing to be come a dreamer, to seal away the old light?”

“So, what you want from me is to give not only my people’s knowledge on seals, but you also want me to sacrifice my own life, all to save YOUR kingdom?” Herrah stated, her voice flat and dark. The King noticed how much worse it sounded when she said it that way, before he responded, “Stopping the infection will also be beneficial for the weavers as well. You already admitted that some weavers have been infected already. You becoming a dreamer will not just help my people, but also yours.” The King looked at Herrah as she stared off. The King quickly grew panicked, “Please Herrah, there are people dying and every moment I waste, more innocents are possessed by the old light.” The king’s voice was desperate, as he knew that if he couldn’t convince her, then he would be out of options for the third dreamer and he would need to find a way to make a seal by himself. Herrah, however, was quiet, seemingly thinking about the deal and weather she should accept it. 

After a while, Herrah finally responded, “Alright Wyrm, I accept your offer, and I already know what I want from you, and I believe you can give it to me before you even leave here.” The King was obviously joyful after hearing that she accepted the offer, but had a feeling of creeping dread when she said that he could give her what she wanted here and now. Herrah then stood up and slowly walked towards him. “I want....a child,” Herrah said calmly. The King confusedly replied, “Herrah, I don’t know how I can give you a child. I can’t just make one out of thin air and-“ He was cut off by Herrah. “No, you foolish Wyrm, I want to have a child with YOU” she said as she poked him on the chest, her 6 eyes once again glaring right at him. 

The King was both confused and worried upon hearing her demand. She wanted to have a child with him?!? He couldn’t do that, it would disrespect his marriage with his beloved root. But, if he doesn’t get Herrah’s help, then how will he make the seals? He needs the weavers’ knowledge on seals so that he can make the sealing spell in a timely manner. He also needs her as a dreamer to make sure the old light will never escape. All the King needed to do was have a child with her. It wasn’t that hard. His root would understand, right? But no matter what he told himself, he still felt a creeping feeling of unease, that his choice would be nothing but a betrayal of his root.

“Well, what do you have to say, Wyrm? Do you accept or not?” Herrah said, a grin on her face as she spoke. The King was holding his head in one hand as he thought. How could he choose? He either chose his kingdom or his Root. But which was more important?

(Little did he know, he’d have to ask that question again later)

“I think I should consult my Root about this. I must thank you for allowing me to meet with you.” He said as he stood up before walking towards the door, before Herrah walked next to him. “Oh what a shame, I guess you are ok with a few dozen more people perishing to the old light.” She said, her voice was too calm to be talking the death of innocents. “Excuse me?” exclaimed the King, confused by what she said. “What was it you said? Oh yes ‘Every moment I waste, more innocents are possessed by the old light.’ If you truly care about saving your people, we should just seal the deal here.” she said, as she walked in front of him. “We both know how your meeting with your wife will be, you will speak of our deal, you will have a long conversation about what is important, maybe an argument, but it will end with both of you agreeing to my end of the deal. Why don’t we cut out the middle of this struggle and you uphold your end of the bargain?” she said slowly and sourly. The King didn’t know how, but he swears that she found a way to put her toxic venom into those words before sinking them into him. But she was likely right. His Root would probably accept the deal, albeit reluctantly, and Herrah would become a dreamer while the King gets the knowledge from the weavers on how to make the right sealing spell. It was a win-win and upholding his end now would only result in less innocent deaths. So, why was it so hard to make the decision?

“Well Wyrm, why not just finish the deal now? Every second you spend deciding is only more suffering for your subjects.” Herrah said. What would the King do? He knew how important it was to do this. He was running out of time.

He was running out of time. He was running out of time he was running out of time HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME HE WASRUNNINGOUTOFTIMEHEWAS-

“I accept.” He said, flat and grim.

“Good, now why don’t we go to somewhere more secluded so we can mate?” Herrah smoothly said, a grin crawling across her face. Herrah then guided the King as he walked with his head held low.

Shortly after mating with Herrah, the king left the distant village, and his whole trip returning to the palace, he had his head hung low.

**Author's Note:**

> So yes, there it was. If you didn’t know, reluctant consent doesn’t count as consent, so it was rape. If I get enough support, I may make a chapter 2 or something, but I may not. But I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
